Directory.



W. C. CUTLER.

DIRECTORY.

APPLICATION mm 05c. Is. 1915.

1,214,013. Patented Jan. 30,1917.

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W. C. CUTLER. DIRECTORY. APPLICATION HLED DEC. 15. I915.

1,21 1,01 8. Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

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DIRECTORY.

Application filed December 16, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. CUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Directory, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices operating to furnish desired information to the operator thereof.

An object of this invention is to produce a device of this character which will be reliable in operation and have minimum liabilline indicated by w Fig. 3, the cards and their parts being omitted. Fig. 3 is an elevation mainly in vertical mid section on line indicated by 02 m Figs. 1 and 2, the card magazine being omitted. Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section on irregular line indicated by oa -m Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the latch mechanism viewed from the arrow 0 Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation partly in section of the operating spring and parts connected therewith. Fig.

7 is a detail of the back of the cabinet, showing the card magazine omitted from Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail taken diametrically through the index dial. Fig.

'3 9 is an enlarged broken view of one of the cards, its frame and the selector device. Fig; 10 is a fragmentary side elevation from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a plan section on line indicated by 00 -90 Fig. 7. Fig.

12 is an enlarged detail of the switch mechanism and diagram of connections.

There is provided a cabinet 1 of sultable size and construction having a transparent panel 2 behind and parallel to which is a sta- 3 tionary board 3 which is designed to hold the printed directions for operating the device. said board being visible at all times excepting as will hereinafter appear.

A series of indlcating cards 4 is provided a and each of said cards is mounted in a suitable. frame 5 of metal or the like provided at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 34), 191?.

Serial No. 67,166.

the upper end thereof with laterally extending rods 6 terminating in down-turned ends 7 forming hooks engageable, when said ends are in vertical alinement therewith, by L- shaped brackets 8 having perforations 9 to receive the down-turned ends 7, said brackets being normally positioned with their inturned ends below the level of the rods 6 as in Fig. 9.

The brackets 8 are connected to one another by a brace 10 and are fastened by screws 11 or the like to the lower ends of steel straps or tapes 12, and the rods 6 normally rest between pins 13 which project from the outer face of tapes 14 rove around lower pulleys 15, intermediate pulleys 16, 17 and upper pulleys 18, there being a set of the pulleys 15, 16, 17, 18 at each side of the cabinet, and the pulleys 16, 17 of each set having their axes in a horizontal plane and said pulleys 16, 17 being spread apart so that the portions of the tapes 14 extending from the upper pulleys 18 to the intermediate pulleys 16, 17 will slope at sufficient angles to permit the cards and frames 4, 5 to hang vertical and parallel with each other and slightly spaced apart from one another in order that they will not interfere with one another. This arrangement allows of a large number of cards being stored in a comparatively small space without liability of the cards rubbing against one another and thereby interfering with relative edgewise movement between said cards.

The lower pulleys are mounted on a shaft 19 journaled at 20 in the cabinet, said shaft being provided with cable sheaves 21 engaging the opposite ends of a cable 22 which passes over idlers 23, thence passes to and is wound around a drum 24 so that when the drum is turned in the direction of the arrow at Fig. 2, or opposite, the cable operates to turn the sheaves to operate the tapes 14 and thereby move the cards 4 forward or backward.

The drum 24, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, is mounted on a shaft 25 to which is fixed a dial 26 having a handle 27 provided with a spring-retracted button 28, that has a pointed lower end forming a detent 29. The dial 26 revolves in a stationary table 30, and below said table 30 is mounted an oscillative plate 31 provided with perforations 32. Beneath the oscillative plate 31 is a stationary plate 33 having perforations 34. The oscilative plate 31 is "normally held relative to the stationary plate 33 with the perforations 32, 34 slightly out of registration with one another by means disclosed hereinafter, and by depressing the button 28, the detent 29 thereof entering the adjacent perforation 32 strikes the edge of the perforation 34 just beneath and causesslight rotation of the oscillative disk until its perforations 32 exactly register with the perforations 34. The perforations 32, 34 and detent 29 thus function to lock the plates 31 33 with their perforations in' perfect alinement and to hold them locked during the movement of any one of the indicating cards in a manner hereinafter described.

Above the table is an index sheet 35 which be of paper or other suitable material and which contains the names of different professions and the likes-s, for example, architect's, attorneys, dentists, dec- 'tors, etc., arranged alphabetically in groups ton 28 into registration with the segment of the index member. 35 of corresponding designatory character with the designatory character of the group or division designating dentists in New York city. He would then press down the button 28 which would cause the oscillative disk 31. to swing and also lock the dial in the adjusted position. During the turning movement of the dial 26, the drum 24 acts through the cable 22 to rotate the pulleys 15, thereby operating the tapes 14 and bringing the appropriate directory card 4 containing the names and .addresses of dentists in New York city into central position ready for raising into view in a manner hereinafter described.

The tapes 12 pass upward over pulleys 37 and are fastened to laterally extending arms 38 projecting from a slide block 39 shiftable alonga vertical slide rod 40, said slide block 39 being connected by a tape 41 or the like running over an idler 42 to the lower end of a lever 43 pivoted at 44 to a bracket 45 that projects downward from and is fastened to the top of the cabinet 1. r

The lever 43 is pivo-ted at its opposite end at 46 to a connecting link 47 that is pivoted at 48 roan operating rod 49 having a hook 50 to which is connected a tension spring 51, the lower end of said spring being connected by a hook 52 to a rod 53 that is provided 'at its upper end with a slot 54 shiftably engaging a pin projecting from the rod 49 so that relative endwise movement can take place between the rods49, 53. The lower end of the rod 53 is provided with a pin 56 engaging a slot 57 of a link 58 which is pivoted at 59 to an arm 60, there being a link 61 fastened to the link 58 and pivoted at 62 to a lever 63 operating a dash-pot 64.

The, arm 60 turns a' shaft 65 which is journaled at 66 to the sides of the cabinetand which is provided with a bellcrank lever 67 connected by a rod 68 to bell-crank levers 69 that are pivoted to the base 7(lof the cabinet and that are pivoted to a platform 71; Pressure on the platform 71 phlls the rod'53 -do'-.vnward to stretch the spring 51 so as to store up energy in said spring;

The shaft 19 is provided with an arm 72 to whic'his attached one end of a coil spring 73 having its opposite end attached to a fixed point of the cabinet, the function of said spring being to counterbalance the cards and frames so as to allow the dial to be turned with maximum ease. I

The bell-cranklever 67 is pivoted at 74 to the lower end of a sectional rod' 75 which is pivoted at its upper end at 76 to a bell crank lever 77, there beinga spring 77 between shoulders '41 and 77 on the respective sections to act as a shock absorber. The bell-crank lever 77 is pivoted at 73 to a bracket 79 projecting from the front of the cabinet and said bell-crank lever is, pivoted at 80 to a detent 81 in the form of a pin sliding in a guide 82 which is fastened. to the c'abiri'et said detent having a pointed end adapted to enter between any two adj acent projections formed by teeth 83 project ing from the under face of the dial 26, so that when the platform 71 is depressed, the

detent 81 and teeth 83' will function tolock the dial 26 against rotation irrespective of 851t'oward the detent 84 so as to hold the rod 49 against being moved downward by the force of the spring 51, when said spring is under tension produced by depression of the platform 71.

The push button is provided with an annular groove or notch 92 to engage the edge of the perforation 32 into which the detent29 is pressed so tha't said push button after being depressed will remain in the depressed positionuntil released which is provided for as follows: v

' When the platform 71 is released after having been depressed to cause tension of the spring 51, the pivot 59 strikes the lower angular-1y bent end 93 of a rod 94 which works in guides 95 projecting from the rod 53'thus raising said rod 94. The rod 94 is provided on its upper end with a beveled block 96 adapted to engage the complementary beveled end of the latch bolt 85 when said rod 94 is raised, thus retracting the latch bolt" and thereby turning the oscillatory plate 31.. sufiiciently to cause the perforations 32, 34 to register whereupon the spring 97 of the push button 28 will retract the push button, causing the detent 29 to be withdrawn from the perforations 32, 34.

In the base is mounted a dash-pot 98 having its arm 99 pivoted at 100 to the platform 71 to cushion the movements of said platform. A spring 101 tends to retract the bell-crank lever 77 and withdraw the detent 81 and a spring 102 tends to retract the lever 43 and raise the rod 49 so as to bring the detent 84 above the bolt 85.

The brackets 8 work in ways formed by grooves 103 in the sides of the cabinet 1 and when a selected card is raised as hereinbefore described the rods 6 of said card strike bufi'ers in the form of springs 104 fixed to the top of the cabinet.

It is noted that the pulleys 15, 16, 17 18 are rotatably mounted on plates 105 which are slotted at 106 to receive bolts 1.07 projecting from the sides of the cabinet whereby the plates are so mounted that contraction and expansion of the sides of the cabinet will not disarrange said pulleys. The base 70 is provided with rubber buffers 108 to engage the platform 71 when said platform is depressed.

The cabinet 1 is provided on one side near its top with a registering device or counter 109 having its operating lever 110 connected by a chain 111 or equivalent to the upper end of the lever 43 so that when the lower end of said lever is swung upward the counter is operated to register the number of times said lever operates.

There may be provided suitable lamps 112 arranged to illuminate the space in front of the board 3 and for this purpose said lamps may be mounted between the transparerit panel 2 and a hollow rim 113 which extends around the margins of said panel. The lamps 112 are energized only when the directory is operated and to effect the energizing of the lamps said lamps are connected in circuit 113 with a source 114 of electric current as shown in Fig. 12, there being normally spaced apart terminals 115, 116 in said circuit adapted to close the circuit when the terminal 1.16 is engaged by an insulating body 117 mounted on the lower end of the lever 43, the circuit being completed when the lower end of the lever 43 is swung to its uppermost position.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 11 the back of the cabinet 1 is provided with a magazine or case 118 in which to store extra cards 4, the rods 6 of which rest on the upper edges of the sides of said magazine.

In practice, to operate the directory the operator will select any one of the cards 4 by turning the button 28 to the corresponding segment to move the selected card into selective position to bring the turned down ends 7 of the rods 6 immediately over the perforations 9 and he will then step on to the platform 71, thereby causing the spring 51 to be put under tension and causing the detent 81 to lock the dial in its adjusted position against rotation. Then the operator will depress the button 28 to cause rotation of the oscillative plate-31 and consequent retraction of the bolt out of engagement with the detent 84, whereupon the spring 51 will contract to draw the rod 49 downward, thereby producing upward movement of the brackets 8 into engagement with the rods 6 of the selected card and causing further upward movement of said brackets to lift the selected card 4 into view position between the panel 2 and board 3. The insulating body 117 is at the same time caused to strike the terminal 115 and spring it against the terminal 116 so as to close the circuit 113 and energize the lamps 112, the light from said lamps illuminating the selected card so that it can be plainly read through the transparent panel 2.

hen the operator has read off the desired information from the selected card he will step off the platform 71, whereupon the coil spring 102 will operate to retract the lever 43 to cut the lamps 112 out of the circuit 113 and to allow the weight of the selected card and its frame and the brackets 8 to lower the selected card until its rods 6 rest between the pins 13 from between which said rods 6 were lifted when the card was raised into view position, the weight of the brackets when operating to lower said brackets to bring their returned ends out of engagement with the down-turned ends 7 of the rod 6. Also the block 96 will be caused to move up to engage the bolt 85 to retract said bolt and thus turn the oscillating plate 31 so as to release the push button 28 which will then be withdrawn from the perforations 32, 34 by the force of the spring 97. The parts are then in position to be again operated by depression of the platform 71 as above described.

The rod 49 is connected at 119 to a piston or plunger 120 working in a cylinder 121, said plunger and cylinder together constituting a dash-pot to retard and ease the movements of the rod 49.

The tapes 14 arorotatively adjustable relative to one another so that should the pins 13 on different tapes for the respective cards mg to move the selected card out of said seget out of alinement transversely of the device, as'by slippage ofthe tapeson their pulleys, said pins may be brought into almement and for this purpose the tapes 14 are each made in sections adjustably connected together by flanges .122 at the ends of each section and Screws 123 connecting together the adjacent flanges of different sections. The screws 123 may be so adjusted as to maintain the tapes 14 at the desired tension and yet to turn one tape forward orbackward relative to the other tape. To make said adjustment, all that is necessary, is to loosen one screw of either of said tapes and tighten the other screw of the same tape to draw the adjusted tape clock-wise or counter clock-wise in Fig. 3 according as to whether the rear or front screw is tightened.

' "It is noted that by reason of the dash-pot 98 under platform 71 the operation of the apparatus will'be the same whether the person stepping onto the platform is of relatively lighter or heavier weight.

1. Aseries of cards, a dial, means operative by the dial to move any one of the cards to a selective position, means operating to move the selected card out of said selective position, away from the other cards, and means operative independently of the first named andlast named means to lock the dial against rotation.

2. A series of cards, 'a-dial, means operated by the dialto move anyone of the cards to a selective position, lamps, means operatlective position to view position away from theiother cards, and means operated by the last mentioned means to effect energization of the lamps when said selected card is in said view position. r

3. A series of cards, a dial, a platform, means operative by rotation of the dial to move any one of the cards to selective position, and means operative by movement of the platform to move the selected card out of selective position to view position and to lock the dial against rotation.

4. A series of cards, a dial, a platform, means operative by rotation of the dial to move anyone of the cards to selective posi tion, lamps, and means operative by movement of the platform to move the selected card out of selective position to view position and to simultaneously energize said lamps.

5. A series of cards, a dial, an oscillating plate, means operative by turning of the oscillatory plate to adjust any one of the cards to selective position, a button on the dial,

7 means operative by the person using the device to store up power to move the selected cardfrom selective position to view position, means: to-retract saidcard-moving means, means to hold the card-moving means against operation, means operative by movement of the button to release said holding means, means to hold said button in the releasing position,lmeans operative by the power storingmeans to hold the dial against movement, and means operated by retractive movement of the card-moving means to release the button-holding means.

6. Brackets having in-turned ends provided with perforations, cards having laterally projecting rods provided with downturned ends, means to move the cards to bring the down-turned ends of the rods successively above and in alinement with the perforations in the brackets, and means to raise said brackets to bring their perforations into engagement with the down-turned rod ends that are in alinement with said perforations.

7. A dial, cards, means operative by rotation of the dial to shift the cards, teeth projecting from the dial, a detent, a platform, and means operative by movement of V the platform to move the detent between any two adjacent teeth to prevent rotation of said dial. a

8. A dial, cards, means operative by rotation of the dial'to shift the cards to bring any one ofthem into selective position, a platform, means to raise the selected card out of selective position, means to hold the raising means -inoperative, means *to release said "holdingmeans, and means operated by depression of the platform to lock the dial against rotation. V r Y 9. Cards, a platform, means to move the cards to bring any one of them into selective position, means to raise the selected card from selective position, a spring, means connecting the spring to the card-raising means and-to the platform and operative by depression of the platform to store up energy in the spring'and operative by the stored up energy of the spring when the platform is released to operate the card-raising means, and means, operative by depression of the platform to lock the cardmoving means.

10. A cabinet, a dial rotatively mounted on the cabinet, a segmentally divided index member at the margin of the dial, a handle to rotatethe dial providedwith a pointer to registerwith any one of the segmental divisions of the index member when the dial is rotated,

cards, means operative by rotation, of the dial to shift the cards to bring any one of' them into selective position, selective means to move the selected card away from the other cards, means to operate the selective means, means to hold the operating means from acting, a button in the handle, means to holdthe dial against rotating when the button is in raised position, and means operative by depressing the button to release the means holding the operating means so that said operating means can act.

10 each section having flanges at its ends, screws connecting adjacent flanges of difierent sections to one another, and means connected to the tapes to suspend cards therebetWeen.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 8th day of December, 1915.

WILLIAM C. CUTLER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. HILns, ANNA F. SGHMIDTBAUER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D C. 

